Thinkpads Forum

The sound on the t61 is woeful and at best we can hardly hear dvds. Is there any 'fixes' for this problem?

Many thanks in advance

Tony

Download VLC media player. In the preferences, set the audio slider to the max. This will be louder than Windows Media Player or AVS DVD player. Why? I don't know.

marlinspike wrote:Download VLC media player. In the preferences, set the audio slider to the max. This will be louder than Windows Media Player or AVS DVD player. Why? I don't know.

That's why in VLC, if you move the slider above the center, it will boost the audio stream amplitude before sending it to the sound card, much like in an EQ. The disadvantage is reduction in sound quality. The louder you set it, the worse the quality.

I find my t61 speakers to be reasonably loud as laptop speakers go, listenable when you're sitting quietly, but let's face it, internal laptop speakers are intended for playing system beeps and maybe voice mail, they will never produce room filling sound nor will they have frequency response suitable for watching movies. Get some external speakers.

The speakers with VLC turned up to full get pretty loud. People have listened to my tunes from two rooms away. I just wonder if I'm damaging them or not.

Remember that there are two volume controls that work together. The silver buttons above the keyboard set the Thinkpad volume, and the windows volume control sets the Windows volume after that. If you have poor volume, one of those two may be turned down.

To get to the Windows volume, click on the speaker icon at the bottom right of your screen. If you don't see the speaker icon, see here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279435

I use the VLC trick to amp up the volume but the T61 speakers on the 14.1'' model really aren't very good. Something I hope they've fixed in newer models.

Dead1nside wrote:I use the VLC trick to amp up the volume but the T61 speakers on the 14.1'' model really aren't very good. Something I hope they've fixed in newer models.

It's a laptop....

Install ffdshow, then in audiosetting overtake volume to 350%.

tylerwylie wrote:It's a laptop....

So? People use laptops, even business laptops, in situations with video and audio.

They're too quiet. On the T41p they're louder.

I'm tired of people who just say 'Oh it's only a small thing, what do you expect' - well I expect a laptop that's worth my money.

The T41 (as all non-widescreen T4x/T6x) has the speakers on the bottom of the unit, angled at the surface on which the laptop stands. This creates an effect where the sound rebounds off the surface in front of you, and focuses at you. With the T61 wide, the speakers are aimed up, so most of the sounds of the weak speakers gets lost in the air. This could be the culprit.

RonS wrote:Remember that there are two volume controls that work together. The silver buttons above the keyboard set the Thinkpad volume, and the windows volume control sets the Windows volume after that. If you have poor volume, one of those two may be turned down.

To get to the Windows volume, click on the speaker icon at the bottom right of your screen. If you don't see the speaker icon, see here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279435

In Vista there's no difference. Put one to max, and the other does the same.

dr_st wrote:The T41 (as all non-widescreen T4x/T6x) has the speakers on the bottom of the unit, angled at the surface on which the laptop stands. This creates an effect where the sound rebounds off the surface in front of you, and focuses at you. With the T61 wide, the speakers are aimed up, so most of the sounds of the weak speakers gets lost in the air. This could be the culprit.

Yeah, I've noticed this. The placement on my T61, to the sides of the keyboard isn't ideal. As you say it just goes into the air, not directed towards the viewer, unless you're sitting at the computer.

notabene wrote:Install ffdshow, then in audiosetting overtake volume to 350%.

I've done the VLC thing too, but its so cumbersome especially when you might be listening to a Youtube or Webcast where you cant do the VLC thing.

Is there some kind of Sound driver Hack / Registry Modification to change this? Some kind of Sound Driver EQ Amplifier / Gain changer?

The fact is that these modern laptops have less than acceptable speaker volume. I can not listen to a DVD on the high way. I cant even make some headphones loud enough on the highway.

My T20 can hurt my ears while my Z61T (Two in house) can hardly be heard with 2 or 3 views in a room making noises just from moving around on the couch or eating chips.

And current (at least previous plastic generation) macbooks DO have acceptable speaker volumes. It is a major problem and not a minor one..the audio on these things is pathetic.

That said I am still a fan..but I have to say that it does matter.

Really, my T61 is amazingly louder than any laptop I've owned or use before. If the speakers were integrated into the LCD bezel to face forward, they might be deafening.

Radioguy wrote:

RonS wrote:Remember that there are two volume controls that work together. The silver buttons above the keyboard set the Thinkpad volume, and the windows volume control sets the Windows volume after that. If you have poor volume, one of those two may be turned down.

To get to the Windows volume, click on the speaker icon at the bottom right of your screen. If you don't see the speaker icon, see here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279435

In Vista there's no difference. Put one to max, and the other does the same.

I'm using a T60p right now with Vista 64 and current audio drivers. The Windows volume and the Thinkpad volume ARE totally independant. Change one, and the other does not change with it.

I've seen this low-volume problem many times. You have to check the setting of BOTH volume controls if the sound level seems too low.

RonS wrote:

Radioguy wrote: In Vista there's no difference. Put one to max, and the other does the same.

I'm using a T60p right now with Vista 64 and current audio drivers. The Windows volume and the Thinkpad volume ARE totally independant. Change one, and the other does not change with it.

I've seen this low-volume problem many times. You have to check the setting of BOTH volume controls if the sound level seems too low.

I wouldn't have posted it if I wasn't sure. In fact, I'm confirming this as I type on my T61. Now you have a T60, and Vista 64-bit might be another story, but on my Vista 32-bit T61 the volume slides are synchronized.

You are both right.

The volume controls were independent on the T60 and earlier Thinkpads.

On the T61/R61/X61, and probably all newer models, they are the same. The volume buttons merely talk to the Windows driver (regardless of the OS version).

*edited to clarify*

Are you a diplomat in real life?

Going to try the VLC Media Player now.....
I have a T60p 2007-87U with Vista 32 on it.

Frustrated by the woefully low output of the onboard speakers...could barely watch a DVD this weekend with my daughter sitting right next to me...laptop up on my knees...straining to hear.

The laptop volume buttons cranked, and Windows volume cranked. Sounds like someone listening to their iTunes with the earbuds on at a 5 foot range.

Even if the built in speakers were made louder, they unfortunately would still sound like crap anyway, so how anyone could bear to use them to watch a movie or listen to music is beyond my comprehension.

An inexpensive to moderate priced 2.1 powered external speaker system is an awesome and imo, essential upgrade.

tag ?

pae77 wrote:Even if the built in speakers were made louder, they unfortunately would still sound like crap anyway, so how anyone could bear to use them to watch a movie or listen to music is beyond my comprehension.

An inexpensive to moderate priced 2.1 powered external speaker system is an awesome and imo, essential upgrade.

Tell that to my T20.

What should I do on the highway, or in a tent? I am thinking of the Altec Lansing Orbit..Anyone have any experience with these?

dr_st wrote:You are both right.

Thanks for clearing that up. I have a T61p but I rarely use it (poor screen quality) but I should have tested it since the OP said he was using a T61.

I completely agree with the OP. My T61 is two to three times the price of many other laptops out there but the sound is not even half as good as the $399 special at Best Buy. In fact, I'm typing this on one of those jobs (Toshiba A105) that actually has very decent sound. On the T61 I am completely unable to watch DVD's. I know the sound on most laptops stinks and I know that even if the T61 could go louder that it would sound bad. But with my little 2 year old at my side on a saturday morning, I don't really care...I just need to be able to understand the dialogue and the T61 can not do that most of the time (depending on the source material.) No other laptop I have ever used has been this bad with respect to sound. It's actually pretty infuriating. I wish Lenovo would come up with a software fix to boost the gain across the system. Distortion or not, I need to be able to turn the volume up more!

The best solution

Altec Lansing Orbit (new style) Takes 3 AAA's 24 hours (use) battery life. Loud enough to hurt on Z61T and the quality is better than I had hoped. Comes with little case.

http://www.amazon.com/Altec-Lansing-Ult ... 215&sr=1-1

Though - I agree that these laptop MFG's can not simply overlook their heinous speakers forever. My T20 is LOUD. Sure its a bit bigger but not much really. Give us some usable speakers.

Cunha, that's a cool little speaker, but the only thing I could really find acceptable is something that physically attaches to the notebook. I wonder if anyone makes an adhesive, long and thin speaker that would affix to the cover. My T61 generally sticks around the living room couch but moves around a lot at that. Having this dangling speaker attached is not an option.

Anyone ever seen a speaker that physically attaches to the notebook?

Never seen such a thing. You are right about this speaker not working for you.

Its easy to put the cord away when you arent using it and bust it out when you watch a movie or something.

<shrug>

GL!

Cunha wrote:Never seen such a thing. You are right about this speaker not working for you.

Its easy to put the cord away when you arent using it and bust it out when you watch a movie or something.

<shrug>

GL!

Cunha, you obviously don't have, or have never had a two-year-old boy. A dangling speaker like that will be grabbed and pulled on within minutes. It may as well be a piece of candy hanging off my computer. Add my 8-month-old to the mix, and just "bust[ing] it out when you watch a movie" takes on a whole new, difficult meaning. It's just not very easy to bust it out while holding a 20 pound baby and trying to keep your two-year-old at bay.

It'd be awfully nice if the T61 just came with adequate volume to begin with. As said above, there are lots of laptops out there that might not sound great, but at least you can hear them.